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Good vs Well: Understanding the Difference

"Good" and "well" are commonly confused because they both describe positive qualities, but they serve different grammatical functions. Understanding when to use each will make your English more precise and grammatically correct.

Quick Answer

Exception: "Well" can also be an adjective meaning "healthy"

Good: Definition and Usage

Good is primarily an adjective that describes nouns.

When to Use Good:

Use "good" to describe people, places, things, or ideas (nouns).

Part of Speech: Adjective

Function: Modifies nouns and follows linking verbs (be, seem, appear, feel, taste, smell, sound, look)

Examples of "Good":

After Linking Verbs (be, seem, feel, etc.):

Describing Nouns Directly:

Common Uses:

Forms of "Good":

Examples:

Well: Definition and Usage

Well is primarily an adverb that describes verbs, but it can also be an adjective meaning "healthy."

Well as an Adverb:

When to Use Well (Adverb):

Use "well" to describe how an action is performed (modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs).

Part of Speech: Adverb

Function: Modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs

Examples of "Well" (Adverb):

Describing Actions (How Something is Done):

Modifying Adjectives:

Common Adverb Uses:

Well as an Adjective (Healthy):

When to Use Well (Adjective):

Use "well" as an adjective only to mean healthy or in good health.

Examples:

Important Distinction:

Forms of "Well":

Examples:

Key Differences

Good (Adjective) Well (Adverb) Well (Adjective - Health)
Describes nouns Describes verbs/actions Means healthy
"She is good at math" "She does well in math" "She is well today"
"Good performance" "Performed well" "Feel well" (healthy)
What/who is good How something is done Health status
"Tastes good" "Sings well" "Get well soon"
After linking verbs After action verbs After feel/be (health only)

Memory Tricks

1. The Verb Test

Examples:

2. Linking Verb vs Action Verb

Examples:

3. The "LY" Test (Sort Of)

Examples:

4. The Noun Check

5. Health Exception

Common Mistakes and Corrections

Incorrect Usage:

  1. She sings good. (Wrong!)
  2. He plays piano good. (Wrong!)
  3. The team performed good. (Wrong!)
  4. I'm doing good. (Informal/Wrong in formal context!)
  5. She did good on the test. (Wrong!)
  6. The plan went good. (Wrong!)
  7. He speaks English good. (Wrong!)
  8. The business is doing good. (Wrong!)

Correct Usage:

  1. She sings well.
  2. He plays piano well.
  3. The team performed well.
  4. I'm doing well.
  5. She did well on the test.
  6. The plan went well.
  7. He speaks English well.
  8. The business is doing well.

Note on "I'm doing good":

In casual conversation, "I'm doing good" is very common in American English, but it's grammatically incorrect for formal writing.

Informal/Casual: "I'm doing good" (common in speech) Formal/Correct: "I'm doing well"

Exception: "I'm doing good" is correct if you mean "I'm doing good deeds/charity work"!

Detailed Examples in Context

Good (Adjective - Describing Nouns):

With Linking Verbs:

Describing Nouns Directly:

Emotional/Mental State:

Well (Adverb - Describing Actions):

Describing Performance:

Describing Skills:

Describing Function:

With Other Adverbs/Adjectives:

Well (Adjective - Health):

Medical/Health Contexts:

Important Distinction:

Special Cases and Exceptions

"As Well" - Meaning "Also"

As well means "also" or "too":

"Well" as an Interjection

Well can start sentences as a filler word or interjection:

"Very Well" - Agreement

Very well means "okay" or "I agree":

"Good and" - Intensifier (Informal)

Good and means "very" or "thoroughly" in informal speech:

"All Good" - Slang

All good is slang for "everything is fine":

Common Phrases

With "Good":

With "Well":

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word (good or well) for each sentence:

  1. She plays the piano very _____.
  2. This is a _____ book.
  3. How are you doing? I'm doing _____.
  4. The food tastes _____.
  5. He performed _____ in the interview.
  6. That's a _____ idea!
  7. I don't feel _____ today. (I'm sick)
  8. The team played _____ last night.
  9. This is _____ news.
  10. She speaks English _____.
  11. I feel _____ about this decision. (emotionally positive)
  12. The project went very _____.
  13. He's a _____ student.
  14. Everything worked out _____.
  15. You look _____ in that dress.

Answers:

  1. well, 2) good, 3) well, 4) good, 5) well, 6) good, 7) well, 8) well, 9) good, 10) well, 11) good, 12) well, 13) good, 14) well, 15) good

Advanced Distinctions

"Feel Good" vs "Feel Well"

Feel good (adjective):

Feel well (adjective - health):

Feel well (adverb - rare):

"Good At" vs "Do Well At"

Good at (adjective):

Do well at (adverb):

Both can be correct:

"Look Good" vs "Look Well"

Look good:

Look well:

Most common: Use "look good" for both appearance and health in casual speech.

Cultural and Regional Variations

American English:

British English:

Formal vs Informal:

Summary

GOOD (Adjective):

WELL (Adverb):

WELL (Adjective - Health Only):

Quick Decision Tree:

  1. Describing a noun? → GOOD
  2. Describing an action (how it's done)? → WELL
  3. Talking about health? → WELL
  4. After linking verb (taste, smell, look, seem)? → GOOD
  5. After action verb (do, perform, work, play)? → WELL

Memory Aid:

Conclusion

The difference between "good" and "well" comes down to grammar: good is an adjective that describes nouns, while well is primarily an adverb that describes verbs and actions. The exception is when "well" means "healthy."

Remember this simple test: If you're describing HOW an action is performed, use well (She sings well). If you're describing WHAT or WHO something is, use good (She's a good singer). For health, use well (I don't feel well).

While "I'm doing good" is common in casual American speech, "I'm doing well" is grammatically correct and preferred in formal contexts. Master this distinction, and your English will be more precise and polished!